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I must become...
Jul. 20th, 2014 08:05 pmThe city is stifling.
There's too much unexplained, too much still to learn, too many people, and no way out. No way home. He's accepted some aspects of life in the city so far - adapting is the first step toward surviving - but he refuses to believe he'll never be able to leave. He'd thought as much on Lian Yu, but there had always been some sort of hope to get home.
His apartment is still spare, nothing but a few outfits he's bought, the barest minimum food, and whatever furniture came with the place. He expects nothing new after his second full day of job hunting, but after the door creaks shut behind him, Oliver senses something is different. He pulls a knife out of his jacket as he slowly walks through the hall and into his living room, expecting an intruder.
He doesn't hear the knife clatter on the floorboards, only the blood rushing in his ears.
Someone's been in the apartment and left a few gifts in the middle of the living room.
His outfit. His wooden chest. His bow and quiver.
Oliver doesn't know how long he stands there staring, but his steps are unsteady when he finally spurs himself into action, checking the rest of the apartment in a haze of panic and rage. He doesn't understand what's going on, why he's here, or who is toying with him, but they obviously know who he truly is, and what is this supposed to be? Some kind of gift? A warning sign?
He leaves the apartment and walks the neighborhood for a while, until his blood cools and he can enter the apartment again without losing his head.
Oliver moves everything into his small second bedroom, and though it makes him uneasy, he can't deny that the idea of getting suited up and heading out into the city excites him. He can finally do something again, even if all he does is get some answers to a million questions.
It's barely midnight before Oliver is deep in Locos territory, sticking to rooftops and shadows as he scouts the streets beneath him, learning Darrow from above the way he learned Starling.
And when he hears a scream, he doesn't think; Oliver jumps to the next roof, a shadow among shadows as he heads toward the noise.
There's too much unexplained, too much still to learn, too many people, and no way out. No way home. He's accepted some aspects of life in the city so far - adapting is the first step toward surviving - but he refuses to believe he'll never be able to leave. He'd thought as much on Lian Yu, but there had always been some sort of hope to get home.
His apartment is still spare, nothing but a few outfits he's bought, the barest minimum food, and whatever furniture came with the place. He expects nothing new after his second full day of job hunting, but after the door creaks shut behind him, Oliver senses something is different. He pulls a knife out of his jacket as he slowly walks through the hall and into his living room, expecting an intruder.
He doesn't hear the knife clatter on the floorboards, only the blood rushing in his ears.
Someone's been in the apartment and left a few gifts in the middle of the living room.
His outfit. His wooden chest. His bow and quiver.
Oliver doesn't know how long he stands there staring, but his steps are unsteady when he finally spurs himself into action, checking the rest of the apartment in a haze of panic and rage. He doesn't understand what's going on, why he's here, or who is toying with him, but they obviously know who he truly is, and what is this supposed to be? Some kind of gift? A warning sign?
He leaves the apartment and walks the neighborhood for a while, until his blood cools and he can enter the apartment again without losing his head.
Oliver moves everything into his small second bedroom, and though it makes him uneasy, he can't deny that the idea of getting suited up and heading out into the city excites him. He can finally do something again, even if all he does is get some answers to a million questions.
It's barely midnight before Oliver is deep in Locos territory, sticking to rooftops and shadows as he scouts the streets beneath him, learning Darrow from above the way he learned Starling.
And when he hears a scream, he doesn't think; Oliver jumps to the next roof, a shadow among shadows as he heads toward the noise.
